Romeo Alpha Blood Lines Romance Series - Books 1 to 5

Chapter Six

Chapter Six

“He’s a good man,” Amanda said, nodding at Brody.

“Yes he is,” said Sarina, smiling as she watched him.

“Love looks good on you, sweetheart.”

“It feels good on me, Mama.”

“I don’t doubt it, but come tomorrow night you might think differently. Your first season will be your hardest. Being in heat is uncomfortable, to put it mildly. It can often feel as if your flesh will melt off your bones. Brody can help you, if you let him.”

“How?”

“The only relief I’ve ever been able to find,” Amanda said with a grin, “is sex.”

“You and Dad had s*x while you were in heat?”

“You do know why they call it that, right?” Amanda asked, wondering if she’d shared too little with her daughter.

“Because it’s the time when I’m most fertile.”

“Yes,” Amanda smiled, breathing a sigh of relief. “Your body will go through some drastic changes starting tomorrow and lasting about seven days. You’ll have moments when it just attacks you and the only relief you’ll find is in your husband’s embrace.”

“But we haven’t been married yet,” Sarina scowled. “Does that matter?”

“Not when you’re mated. You chose him the moment you bit him during i*********e. His bite signified that he in return chose you. The human ceremony is nice, but it doesn’t mean anything when discussing the way of the werewolf.”

“When was the last time you changed?”

“It’s been years. I often stay in my human form for the sake of using my Radiant powers of the Earth. Just as Aunt Penelope, Aunt Briana and Aunt Lucia do. As a wolf, I’m unable to call those powers and with your father around to protect me, I often feel it a better balance to be the witch.”

“Will I have powers like yours?”

“You may, although I think they would have manifested themselves before now if you had them. Either way, you’re blessed. The wolf is nothing to snivel at. You will make a remarkable werewolf, Sarina. Your father, Brody and I will all be here to help you. Not to mention, you have Jason and all your aunts and uncles and cousins before you who have been where you’re about to be. Tonight you should rest, and that doesn’t mean sleeping with Brody.”

“I can’t sleep with him?”

“Not if you’re going to love each other intimately. Your body will need the rest for tomorrow night and the days coming after. Without adequate rest, you’ll be at a disadvantage to survive your first going into season.”

“Alright,” Sarina said, sipping the tea her mother had made. “This is wonderful.”

“It’s a new concoction I’ve been working on. A mixture of Chi and Jasmine, something to soothe away the aches, whether they be physical or emotional. May I ask a personal question?”

“Sure, Mama.”

“Was your first time good for you?”

“I don’t know if I’d say good necessarily. We were a bit impatient. I do know that in that moment I knew without a doubt that I wanted Brody for my mate. I wanted to know that this incredible man whom I recognized, as if our souls already knew each other, would be mine from then on out. Brody was surprisingly alright with that setup and we mated. I get that Dad thought it reckless, but I couldn’t let him go without knowing I’d see him again and soon.”

“Your father was an arrogant bastard the first time I met him, telling me I’d belonged to him, not even ten minutes after meeting him.”

“Really?” Sarina laughed. “He seems so collected now.”

“Thanks to my careful hand,” Amanda grinned, giving her daughter a sideways glance before laughing. “He’s just matured a lot, is all. Twenty-four years will do that to a person, most of the time.”

Sarina wondered how Brody would be in another twenty-four years. Would he settle down well to the idea of a forever mate and the children they made together? The idea of children brought a smile to Sarina’s lips. She wasn’t jumping at the bit to be a mother, but she couldn’t help being fascinated by the prospect of becoming one.

“What’s it like to have a baby?” Sarina suddenly asked her mother.

“Shocking,” Amanda chuckled. “You and Jason grew so quickly, always fighting for space in my womb. I scarcely knew I was pregnant before you were making your arrival.”

“Was it a difficult thing?”

“Scary, as all new things often are. I went into labor so quickly that making it to the hospital was impossible. It turned into the biggest blessing, having you at home. I never imagined myself as a particularly strong person. Even after learning of my powers I just wasn’t confident. Then I had you and Jason at home and found an inner strength inside of me that couldn’t be put out. After that, I knew I could do anything I wanted as long as I concentrated on putting that first.”

“Thanks for the talk, Mama,” Sarina said, squeezing her mother’s hand as they watched their family play volleyball. “I love you.”

“I love you, Sarina.”

>>

The full moon rose slowly, taking its sweet time. Brody and Sarina stood outside her parents’ home, hand in hand. He turned to her and said, “I love you, Sarina. I’ll be right here the whole time, okay?”

“Okay,” she said.

Brody smiled and kissed her forehead as he began to change. In mere minutes he was the wolf that hid inside the man except on the full moon. Howling, he called to the wolves that started to stalk out of the Traverse house. Sarina felt the change in her bones first, a sensation of burning that nearly took her breath away. Then she cried out as her bones began to break and lengthen. Falling to her knees she watched her hands become massive paws and dark blonde hair sprouted all over her body, rendering her clothes useless. The bones in her jaw cracked as her muzzle lengthened to bare the razor sharp teeth of the wolf. Breathless now, she felt the sting of change in her eyes as they switched from the handy eyes of a human to the ultra-keen eyes of the wolf.

When the change was finished, she tested out her new legs, prancing around in circles. Then she bumped into Brody and turned those pretty gold eyes on him. When he nodded to her family, she nodded back and walked stately over to her parents, whom she easily recognized as the alpha and queen. Her father, easily the largest wolf in their pack had a gray tinge to his coat that shone like polished silver. Her mother’s dun brown coat shimmered in the moonlight.

Sarina bowed her head before them, submitting both herself and her wolf to their reign. Looking up, it dawned on her that her mother had made the change this time, having done it only once before. In thank you to her mother, Sarina splashed her tongue against her mother’s cheek and received the same in return, a smile broadening on the face of the woman inside the wolf. Once everyone knew what they were about, Sarina joined Brody and together they hunted the far side of the property and into the woods that lay outside their community. Normally she wouldn’t have ventured that far, but with Brody by her side, having scouted the area plenty of times before, she felt confident that tonight would go well.

They walked amicably together, their tails swishing together in flirtation as they sought out the proper prey. Suddenly Brody lifted his nose in the air and alerted her. Sarina followed him and they soon came upon a clearing where a couple seemed to be enjoying each other. Nearby was a deer that was distracted with the bounty of a clump of berries in a bush. Sarina felt her body ache to spring and she clamped down on the urge as Brody began to stalk toward the prey. Following his lead, she took the other side, staying low in the grass as her mate did. When Brody bounded out, landing close to the couple, Sarina realized that he was after the humans. The deer, having been alerted by their actions, darted off into the woods.

The woman screamed, but Sarina jumped in between her and Brody. She shook her head at Brody and he understood. Humans were off limits. Realizing this, a sense of relief washed over his being and he felt the tension ease from his shoulders. They both turned toward the frightened couple and snarled. The couple quickly got up and dashed off towards town.

After the humans were safely away, Sarina lifted her nose in the air. The scent of the deer was still very strong and she headed off into the woods in pursuit. Brody followed closely but quickly passed her. With both on the hunt, the deer was easily located. Sarina watched Brody claw the deer’s neck, tearing deep gashes in the skin and muscle. The smell of blood made her stomach clench. Sarina sank her teeth into the deer’s hind quarter, feeling the flesh tear away from the bones. The meat was succulent and rich, a satisfying meal all in all. Brody showed Sarina how to stalk and hunt, necessary skill sets for even the stealthiest wolf. She learned how to work as a team that night.

Curling up under a tall pine, they slept as the moon made its descent and the sun began to rise.

“Sarina,” Brody said, giving her shoulder a shake. He’d come up next to her, n***d and chilled. She fluttered those pretty blues open and gave him a sheepish smile. “We need to get back before we get caught for indecent exposure.”

“Alright,” Sarina grinned, noting her own nakedness. “Can I at least get dressed first?”

“Yes,” Brody chuckled.

>>

Sarina was pulling on her jeans when Brody cussed loudly. She looked up to see Brody grab his shoulder and yell for her to run. Sarina took off with Brody right behind her. She ran as fast and as far as she could, until her lungs began to burn from exhaustion. Panting, she turned and saw Brody fall to the ground far behind her. Sarina ran back to him and noted that both of his shoulders had traces of silver dripping from them. “Brody,” she said, her voice small, even to her own ears.

“They won’t kill me, Sarina. Remember that, okay? They can’t kill me.”

Sarina watched Brody pass out at her feet as a sob emanated from her chest. She stood up and turned around just as the butt of a rifle slammed into her face.

>>

Sarina came to in a dark, dank, musty smell that filled her nostrils. “Brody?” she called, her voice hoarse and scratchy.

She tried reaching out with her mind, but her body was too drained to manage it.

“Good morning, sleepyhead,” a man said, his voice cool, condescending. “I hope you slept well because that’s probably not going to happen again for a while. And don’t even bother trying to contact lover boy. He’s so doped up that he wouldn’t know whether he was talking to you or the wall. To him, you’re one and the same now.”

“Fu—”

“Well now. I like my women a little feisty. It’s been a while for me, you know. Living alone like I do, I’m not one for the nookie of long term relationships. I’m not sure though, that you’re quite up for what I have in mind. Seems to me that you’re a little inexperienced in that department. You don’t smell like a woman or a wolf who has been down that particular road too many times... although there is always a first time for everything.”

“Tell me where he is,” Sarina said, keeping her voice soft, just enough to sound as if she was pleading. Truth be told, she was on the verge of tears and was hoping he wouldn’t notice.

“He’s around,” the man chuckled. “Not here of course, but he’s not dead. You must really like the way he screws.”

Sarina closed her eyes, focusing all of her energy on breathing. She wouldn’t be able to reach out to him again if she didn’t keep herself calm. Losing control now might doom them both and she needed him.

“Brody?” she called in her mind.

“I told you not to try to reach him. By now he’s so weakened that I’d be surprised if he can do much more than breathe himself.”

“What did you do to him?”

“Me?” the man laughed. “Oh honey, you’ve got the wrong wolf for that. You need to take that s**t up with Reggie. He’d be the one who has your man in chains. Now granted, I like seeing a disobedient wolf in chains just like everyone else, but it’s not my job to keep him there. My job is to make sure that everyone I see is doing what they’re supposed to be doing. You and your lover obviously weren’t. Reggie brought you to me and asked if I’d look after you for a while. I agreed and here we are. Just do me a favor... don’t put too much stock in Brody. He’s a talented wolf to be sure, but he doesn’t have much in the way of staying power. Now, me? I’ve got stamina out the ass.”

“You can take your stamina and shove it,” Sarina growled. Suddenly a searing pain shot through her chest, tearing a scream from her.

>>

Sarina shot up in bed, a scream echoing in her head, panting. “Sarina?” inquired the small and mousy voice of her sister Shawna.

“I’m okay,” she said. “Go back to sleep.” Sarina grabbed her robe and tiptoed to the kitchen, warming a glass of milk to help her sleep.

“Hey pumpkin,” Romeo said, pulling out a chair. “Can’t sleep?”

“No,” she grumbled. “Weird dream.”

“Wanna talk about it?”

“I just... I can still feel it and I never remember my dreams, but I’m remembering this one as if it actually happened.”

“Want me to get your mom?”

“No. It’s late. I can talk to her in the morning.”

“You’re sure?”

“Yeah.”

“Alright. Don’t stay up too late.”

“I’ll try not to.”

Sarina, try as she might, couldn’t get back to sleep so she sketched instead. Art was something that came naturally to her, like breathing. It didn’t seem to matter what she picked up, she could do something magical with it. This time around she’d chosen a set of charcoal pencils. Three hours later, when her mother came down to start breakfast, she’d finished a portrait of the man from her dream.

“Your father said you couldn’t sleep,” Amanda said. Sarina felt a kiss on her head. Looking up, she smiled.

“Nope. Do you mind if I help you with breakfast while we talk? I sort of want to keep this quiet.”

“Sure,” Amanda smiled.

“So, I had a dream last night and unlike any other I’ve ever had, I can remember this one in lurid detail.”

“And that worries you?”

“No, not so much really. What worries me is I feel as if it happened to me. You didn’t get your powers until you turned twenty-four right?”

“Yes, which I’ll remind you, you just did.”

“Yeah,” Sarina sighed. “But Mama, this dream wasn’t just odd. It was crystal clear. Dreams are always choppy, jumping from one place to another, taking people in and out at whim. This didn’t and I can’t shake the feeling that the man in my dream meant something to me. I can feel him.”

“Oh?” Amanda asked. Sarina grinned when her mother’s dark eyebrow quirked up at her.

“I was in love with him.”

“Oh,” Amanda replied. Sarina held up the picture she’d drawn and her mother’s lips pursed in response.

“He’s handsome. What’s his name?”

“I called him Brody and I think we were mates.”

Amanda turned, a grin on her face. “That anxious to get started are you?”

“I’m serious Mama. Something happened to me in this dream and I can’t explain it.”

“Honey, dreams are often seen as messages. Maybe this guy is out there somewhere. Maybe he’s not, but either way you need to relax and enjoy this time. Finding a mate is wonderful, but you need to know what you want in one. Spend some time focusing on that and it’ll all work out, I promise.”

Sarina didn’t feel much better, even after a chat with her mother. Something odd was happening. It was like living two different lives, where both of them were happening to her at the same time.

>>

Brody felt as if someone had dipped his body in liquid silver. He’d lost count of the number of times he’d been shot. The silver eventually seeped into his system just enough that Reggie had stopped shooting him. Now he just needed to act as if he was still under the effects of the silver. Thankfully his blood had finally filtered the last of it, leaving him weak, but alive.

“You don’t get it, do you? It was never about you bro. It was always about her. I should’ve just ripped her throat out when you brought her here, but I think the new solution will be just as effective. Of course it’ll absolutely suck for you. You’ll see her and hear her and smell her, even in your sleep. But you won’t be able to touch her or speak to her.”

“Why would you do that?”

“She’s more powerful than any werewolf or witch I’ve ever seen. She doesn’t know it yet, thankfully. But with a Radiant for a mother and an alpha for a father, Sarina Traverse is the one thing Fenris wanted in his bloodline. The problem is that the bloodline split about five hundred years after he became a werewolf.”

“Who the hell is Fenris?”

“He’s the first werewolf. He was a regular, non-assuming male, until Lilith, the b***h that she is, took an interest in him. She screwed him six ways to Sunday and then infected him. On the next full moon he made the change and became werewolf. Now Lilith, she was a w***e if I’ve ever seen one, but Fenris did his own fair share of hooking up. He had any number of women in his human form and his seed spread like a wildfire. There was always the one line, however. Then, about five hundred years later, Fenris noticed werewolves showing up from other areas. They were obviously infected and created, but they weren’t his. They looked nothing like his wolves. Furious, he tracked down the maker of the new line and killed him, but it didn’t stop the line and nothing he did could halt the spread of both bloodlines. You belong to his bloodline. Sarina belongs to the other wolf’s line.”

“Why the hell does that matter?”

“It matters, because she has a witch, a very powerful witch, for a mother. Mixed with the alpha line of her werewolf father, she’ll be virtually unstoppable when she comes into her powers. So, I had someone help us out. Fenris wants his line to swarm the other line and choke it out. Sarina and her family will never let that happen. Fenris arranged a black magic spell to remove all memories of you from the Traverse pack. Essentially, Sarina’s memories have been taken and destroyed. She and the rest of the pack won’t remember you or your time together. Sarina won’t remember that you mated. She won’t remember anything after you two met. And if you try to contact the pack, they’ll see you as an old and frustrated man, not someone worth an ounce of their time.”

“Why not tell me all of this before I met her?”

“You,” Reggie chuckled, “weren’t supposed to fool around in town that day. You had a job to do, an order to fill. Although, you always were a bit of a loose cannon. Did you think I didn’t know about how you’d hunt on their territory? You just couldn’t resist the little tart, not that I can blame you. She’s hot as hell.”

“You’ve ruined us, you know. As long as she’s alive, I can never feel for another woman what I feel for her. And I can’t have her, not like I once did. So what’s in it for me?”

“Not being dead?” Reggie grinned. “Look, I get that it sucks. Maybe you can learn to be satisfied watching her from a distance. She’ll enjoy a full life, probably take another mate someday and live her life until she meets some unfortunate end. Learn to be happy with that.”

“Go to hell, Reggie.”

Brody’s blood boiled and his head felt like it was about to explode. But patience would be his friend for the moment. Brody waited for his alpha to leave before he started yanking at the chains. He pulled and pulled, but the bolts wouldn’t give an inch. Even knowing it would hurt and knowing it would probably leave him weakened again, Brody felt he had no choice and started the change. His forearms lengthened and grew thicker as his bones began to shift. He bit his tongue to keep from moaning. When the first cuff snapped, he took his paw and ripped the other one off, freeing himself. Completing the change, Brody decided he needed to face the alpha once and for all. If ever there was a time for the challenge, it was now while his rage fueled his strength.

Brody found Reggie screwing one of the newly changed females. Just into her breeding season with her first change, her human body was wrecked by both the change and her first s****l experience, not that Reggie really took that into account.

Growling, he waited for Reggie to turn around before he pinned him to the wall. Reggie swiped at him with a claw, tearing out three deep scars across Brody’s face. Brody punched Reggie in the gut and as the alpha doubled over from the pain, Brody launched an upper cut that caught his foe on the chin. Reggie fell back toward the wall. Looking into the man’s eyes, Brody saw nothing good and ripped Reggie’s throat out before he could shift. Howling, Brody turned toward the young woman and almost as quickly shifted into a man, not bothering to cover himself.

“Get dressed,” he ordered and watched her scramble from the bed she’d been on.

Gathering the pack together, Brody showed them Reggie’s dead body and took over as alpha of his small pack. “Gather your things together. We’re moving to the New Delta.”

“But they already have an alpha and there’s no way in hell, Romeo will step down for you,” said Reggie’s second in command.

Brody growled low in his throat, irritated and tired. “I know that,” he said. “My plan is to join our packs. I’m tired of living in this shithole. I want homes and real lives for us. If it means kissing a little a*s to get it, then that’s what I’ll do.” Brody didn’t add that it’d get him closer to Sarina.